Dexter McCluster, former High School graduate and now wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs, gives the keynote address at the June 10 graduation ceremonies at Bright House Stadium in Clearwater.

CLEARWATER – Three hundred twenty Largo High School seniors received diplomas June 10 at Bright House Field, hearing words of encouragement from one of the most famous LHS graduates.

Dexter McCluster, who was an honor roll student at Largo High School and is now a wide receiver with the Kansas City Chiefs, was the keynote speaker at Largo High’s commencement ceremony.

“Time really flies by. It seems like yesterday when I was in high school,” McCluster said. “Don’t let time pass you by.”

“This is a special moment for you guys,” he said. “I want to let you guys know that nothing in life is going to be easy. You are going to go into your highs, you are going to go into your lows. Never, ever quit. Do not ever let anybody tell you you can’t do something.”

In his first year at Mississippi, 2006, McCluster started out “with a bang,” he said, but ended up being hurt in the sixth game of the season.

“I got hit, I got knocked unconscious,” he said. “I spent the night in the hospital.”

When he got out of the hospital, he realized he couldn’t move his left arm. At first doctors couldn’t find out what was wrong.

He said there were nights he cried in his room, asking “why me?”

His father and mother and “all the people behind me told me, ‘keep on.’ I kept going, I kept striving. I wanted to get better,” he said.

He did, having stellar seasons and breaking records as a University of Mississippi rusher and receiver.

Thinking back to when I got hurt, he said, “if I gave up, I wouldn’t be here where I am today.”

“And I just want to instill in you guys to never, ever quit,” McCluster said.

“And I promise you the sky’s the limit, and you will make your dream your reality.”